Separable fastener



D 4, 1956 J. A. SCHEUER 2,772,463

SEPARABLE FASTENER Filed June 21, 1952 INVENTOR JEROME ALFRED SCHEUER ATTORNEY United States Patent SEPARABLE FASTENER Jerome Alfred Scheuer, Fresh Meadows, N. Y. Application June 21, 1952, Serial No. 294,831

7 Claims. (Cl. 24-227) This invention relates to a method of forming separable and adjustable fasteners and to such fasteners as products.

Separable clasps or fasteners of the hook and eye type have been extensively employed for detachably joining together garment members. These known fasteners are usually permanently afiixed to the garment by stitching or by integrally constructing the fasteners with prongs for piercing the respective garment members. When once attached, it becomes especially diflicult to adjust the hook and eye members of the separable fasteners relative to each other.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a separable fastener which may be detachably and adjustably secured to garment members.

Among the various uses for an adjustable and separable fastener, the present invention contemplates the provision of such fasteners on belts to supplement the conventional buckles thereon. Specifically, a belt for womens wear usually carries a buckle slidably receiving the free end of the belt after the same is extended about the body of the wearer. After being brought through the buckle, the end of the belt usually hangs freely and, in addition to being unsightly, increases the risk of the belt working loose and eventually falling from the supported position about the body of the wearer.

Therefore, it is another object of the present invention to provide a separable fastener particularly suitable for detachably securing the free end of a belt in place after being slidably extended through a belt buckle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a separable fastener of the aforesaid character which may be adjusted relative to the belt buckle in accordance with the body size of the wearer and subsequently engaged to maintain the free end of the belt in an adjusted position.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a separable fastener adapted to be adjustably secured to a belt having a buckle for the purpose of augmenting the buckle in effecting the securement of the belt about the body of a wearer.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a separable fastener constructed for attachment to a belt in a, manner wherein the fastener is hidden from view.

The above and still further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consulting the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing the sequential steps employed in forming the hook member of a separable fastener constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view showing the sequential steps employed in forming an eye member of the separable fastener of the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the completely formed hook member of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the completely formed eye member of Fig. 2; and

2,772,463 Patented Dec. 4, 1956 Fig. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view showing the separable fastener of the present invention applied to a belt to supplement a conventional belt buckle.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is shown in Fig. 1, an elongated piece of material, preferably metallic, of circular cross section, which is bent to form a U-shaped body 10 having legs 12, 12' interconnected adjacent one end by a curved bight 14. The U-shaped body is simultaneously stamped and flattened adjacent the free end of each of the legs 12, 12 to form piercing elements 16, 16. Each of the piercing elements includes barbs 18, 18' extending toward the bight 14, and additional barbs 20, 20' extending away from the bight. The thus formed body member is bent to form the completed hook member clearly shown to the right of Figure l. Specifically, the portions of the legs 12, 12' adjacent the piercing elements 16, 16 are bent back into a confronting position relative to the intermediate portion of the legs and on one side thereof. Further, the portions of the legs 12, 12 adjacent the bight are bent in the opposite direction and into a confronting position relative to the intermediate portion of the legs and on the opposite sides thereof. As clearly seen in Figure 3, the completed hook member 22 includes the piercing elements 16, 16 which are adapted to penetrate cloth or similar fabric and the bent-back bight 14 which is supported on the side of the legs 12, 12' remote from the piercing elements and in position to be received within a suitably formed eye member.

Specific reference is now made to Figure 2, wherein the steps for forming the eye member of the present separable fastener are clearly illustrated. A flat rectangular blank 24, preferably of a metallic material, is provided with opposed notches 26, 26 along the lower and upper sides thereof and with cut-away corners 28, 28 adjacent one end thereof. The blank 24 is then cut away as indicated in the intermediate view of Figure 2, to form a cross bar 30 which supports parallel legs 32, 34 on opposite sides thereof. The leg 32 is supported by the parallel connecting bars 36, 36, while the leg 34 is supported by the convergent connecting bars 38, 38', the leg 34 supporting an integrally formed piercing element 40 extending toward the cross bar 30. The thus formed blank is thereupon deformed to form the completed eye member. Specifically, the connecting bars 36, 36 and 38, 38 are bent intermediate their ends to bring the legs 32, 34 into a common plane spaced rearwa-rdly of the connecting bar 30. Simultaneously, or subsequent to this operation, the piercing element 40 is bent into an inclined position extending forwardly and toward the cross bar 30 while the portion of the cross bar adjacent the piercing element 40 is bowed outwardly to form a hook-receiving lip 42. After being formed as described, the completed eye member 44 is seen in Figure 4 to include the legs 32, 34 which cooperate with the cross bar 30 in forming a belt-receiving channel and in providing a suitable eye for the bent-back bight 14 of the hook member 22.

Referring now to Figure 5, there is shown the separable fastener which is constructed in accordance with the practices previously outlined as applied to a belt 46 having a body-encircling portion 48 and a free end 50. The belt 46 carries a conventional buckle 5.2 through which the free end 50 of the belt is passed after being extended about the body of the wearer. In order to prevent the belt from slipping from its supported position and to maintain the free end of the belt against falling loosely, the hook or male member 22 is mounted on the inner face of the belt adjacent the free extremity and the eye or female member 44 is adjustably supported on the body-encircling portion of the bar 46. In constructing the hook member 22, the over-all width of the hook member is kept at a minimum so that an unsightly bulge will not be formed when the hook portion thereof is inserted beneath the cross bar 30 of the eye member 44. Likewise, it is advisable to provide a clearance between the cross bar 35] and the adjacent face of the belt, of the minimum width'necessaryto provide the requisite space to accommodate the hook.

In mounting the hook member 22 on the inner face of the belt, the piercing elements 16, 16 are inserted into the belt'in a manner wherein the piercing elements are entirely received between the inner and outer faces of this. portion of the belt; In usual belt constructions, there are multiple layers and accordingly this can be accomplished with speed and simplicity. When once mounted, the reversely directed barbs 18, 18' and 20, 24) of the piercing elements 16, 16 assure the maintenance of the hook member 22 in the desired position.

After the hook member has been permanently secured to the inner face of the free end of the belt, the eye member is adjusted relative to the belt buckle 52 in ac cordance with the body size of the wearer and in posi tion to accommodate the hook member after the free end of the belt 50 is extended through the belt buckle 52.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in. the form of the apparatus disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certain features of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a separable fastener for a belt of uniform section throughout its length, an adjustable hook receiving eye member formed with a body having an intermediate flat cross bar and legs on opposite sides thereof, said legs being flat and arranged in a common plane offset rearwardly of said cross bar, said legs being spaced in relation to said cross barto form a belt-receiving channel of a section closely conforming to said uniform section of said belt, and a piercing element carried by one of said legs and extending toward said cross bar.

2. In a separable fastener for securing the free end of a belt in place after being passed through a buckle, an eye member detachably receiving a hook member and longitudinally adjustable along said belt, said eye mem her being formed. from a support having an intermediate cross bar and legs on the opposite sides thereof, said legs being arranged in a common plane and being spaced rearwardly of said cross bar and cooperating therewith to form a belt receiving channel, and a piercing element carried by one of said legs and extendingtoward said cross bar, said piercing element being engageable with said belt for securing said eye member in an adjusted position wherein, upon the hook member being received in said eye member, the free end of said belt is maintained against movement.

3. In a separable fastener for securing the free end .of a belt in place after being passed through. a buckle, an eye member detachably receiving a hook member and longitudinally adjustable along said belt, said eye member including a pair of fiat legs arranged in coplanar relation and slidable along the under surface of said belt, a flat cross bar oifset forwardly from said legs and cooperating therewith to form a belt-receiving channel, and piercing means on one of said .fiat legs and engageable in the under surface of said belt for securing said eye member in an adjusted position, whereby upon the hook member being received in said eye member, the free end of said belt is maintained against movement.

4. In a separable fastener for securing the free end of a belt in place after being passed through a buckle, an eye member detachably receiving a hookmernber and longitudinally adjustable along said belt, said eye member including a pair of flat legs arranged in coplanar relation and slidable along the under surface of said belt, a flat cross bar ofiset forwardly from said legs, said crossbar cooperating with said legs to form a channel dimensioned to closely conform about said belt, and piercing means on one of said flat legs and engageable in the under surface of said belt for securing said eye member in an adjusted position, whereby upon the hook member being received in said eye member, the free end of said belt is maintained against movement.

5. The combination with a belt and a buckle at one end of said belt of a separable fastener for securing the other end of said belt in place after beingpassed through said buckle, said separable fastener including a hook memher on the inner face of said belt adjacent said other end, and an eye member detachably receiving said hook member and longitudinally adjustable along said belt toward and away from said buckle, said eye member including a fiat piece arranged in coplanar relation and slidable along the under surface of said belt, a fiat cross bar offset forwardly from said piece and cooperating therewith to form a belt-receiving channel, and piercing means on saidflat piece and engageable in the under surface of said belt for securing said eye member in an adjusted position, whereby upon the hook member being received in said eye member, the free end of said belt is maintained against movement.

6. The combination according to claim 5 wherein said piercing means is in the form of a prong extending toward said buckle.

7. The combination accordingto claim 5 wherein said flat cross bar is formed with a raised lip at the side remote from said one end of said belt.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 163,070 Himelrigh et al. May 11, 1875* 208,635 Quinby Oct. 1, 1878 679,394 Nyhus July 30, 1901 703,878 Woodward July 1, 1902 834,942 Stein et al. Nov. 6, 1906 1,483,849 Hirsh Feb. 12, 1924 2,049,414 Cohen Aug; 4, 1936 2,514,818 White July 11, 1950' 

